What bike should you get? A quick buying guide.
First of all, any 26" 27.5" or 29" wheel bike will work.
If looking at a new or used bike there are a few things I would look for.
For High School Cross Country (XC) racing the following are ideal:
-Hydraulic disc brakes (Highly recommended!) and the most important in my opinion.
-This is something that can be upgraded at anytime for approx. $60 or more.
-Flat pedals or Clipless (the ones you clip into, opposite of what it sounds like) Proper pedal/shoe combo is 2nd most important.
-Flats are great for beginners and experts alike
-Please get flats with metal pins and dedicated bike flat shoes.
-Non pin pedals and running shoes can be dangerous.
- Clipless are great for XC racing but have a large learning curve. Wait until skills are adequate to switch if you want.
-Wheel size
-29 inch wheels roll over things a bit better (Recommended)
-27.5 inch wheels are generally more maneuverable
-26inch is older technology but still get you down the trail.
-1x10, 1x11 or 1x12 drivetrain.
-This makes the shifting so much more simple and is the current standard.
-Hard tail or Dual suspension (both work fine)
- Hard tail can be much cheaper and lighter
- Dual suspension creates a much more pleasant smooth ride and most riders prefer this.
-Dropper seat post
- As riders progress to more challenging terrain a dropper post is very helpful.
- Many riders will not ride without one.
Bike sizes
- Modern MTB are different sizes based loosely on the riders height.
- Bike fit is a personal issue that we can help a rider fine tune.
Price
- A decent new bike will start at the $500-$800 price range with used being cheaper. There are bikes that are cheaper that will work.
- The more expensive the bike generally has better and lighter components.
- Most bikes can be upgraded as you progress in your skills to lighter better components
- Talk to our coaches about discounts our team gets.
Please talk to a coach for more info on buying and up grading a bike. We are here to help. Our shed has many donated parts and we can do some upgrades for free in many cases.
If looking at a new or used bike there are a few things I would look for.
For High School Cross Country (XC) racing the following are ideal:
-Hydraulic disc brakes (Highly recommended!) and the most important in my opinion.
-This is something that can be upgraded at anytime for approx. $60 or more.
-Flat pedals or Clipless (the ones you clip into, opposite of what it sounds like) Proper pedal/shoe combo is 2nd most important.
-Flats are great for beginners and experts alike
-Please get flats with metal pins and dedicated bike flat shoes.
-Non pin pedals and running shoes can be dangerous.
- Clipless are great for XC racing but have a large learning curve. Wait until skills are adequate to switch if you want.
-Wheel size
-29 inch wheels roll over things a bit better (Recommended)
-27.5 inch wheels are generally more maneuverable
-26inch is older technology but still get you down the trail.
-1x10, 1x11 or 1x12 drivetrain.
-This makes the shifting so much more simple and is the current standard.
-Hard tail or Dual suspension (both work fine)
- Hard tail can be much cheaper and lighter
- Dual suspension creates a much more pleasant smooth ride and most riders prefer this.
-Dropper seat post
- As riders progress to more challenging terrain a dropper post is very helpful.
- Many riders will not ride without one.
Bike sizes
- Modern MTB are different sizes based loosely on the riders height.
- Bike fit is a personal issue that we can help a rider fine tune.
Price
- A decent new bike will start at the $500-$800 price range with used being cheaper. There are bikes that are cheaper that will work.
- The more expensive the bike generally has better and lighter components.
- Most bikes can be upgraded as you progress in your skills to lighter better components
- Talk to our coaches about discounts our team gets.
Please talk to a coach for more info on buying and up grading a bike. We are here to help. Our shed has many donated parts and we can do some upgrades for free in many cases.